2026 CIC Med Channel Race Overall
by Sirius Events 12 May 10:14 BST
2026 CIC Med Channel Race © Jean-Marie LIOT / CIC MCR
The last Class40s left the Mucem basin on Monday to reach their home ports in the Mediterranean, and in particular Port Camargue, where a hub of activity is developing for the series.
The event concluded Saturday evening for the crews (with the exception of one team welcomed on Sunday) with an unexpected party as part of the Europa Festival, a music event that drew thousands of people to the J4 esplanade, shared with the race village. A festive end to an intense week and a beautiful journey around the most beautiful Mediterranean islands, following a week of activities and gatherings at the village in Marseille before the start.
1000 miles, a concept that works
It is on this concept of a 1,000-mile, week-long race that the CIC Normandy Channel Race was built, the Normandy "big sister" that has become the main annual event of the Class40. Five days of hospitality at the race village from Wednesday to Sunday, a week of racing, and a return weekend with a festive atmosphere - the formula is simple, even if its execution, given the vagaries of the weather, isn't always straightforward.
The other ingredient in its success is the quality and variety of the course: landscapes of Normandy, southern England, and Ireland in one race; in the other, a superb journey between the harbor of Marseille, the islands of Porquerolles and Levant in the Var region, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands. A course with multiple legs and transition points that constantly reinvent the race, giving it a thrilling edge for those experiencing it on the water or those following it from shore.
And a 10-minute gap between the first two finishers this year! (The record for the Normandy event being 6"). This concept is used in other series such as the 1000 Race, which took place simultaneously in Brittany on the IMOCA 60s, the Vendée Globe sailboats (see www.1000race.com); with a course made up of virtual marks in the Bay of Biscay, which admittedly lacked the charm of the Mediterranean islands. This dynamism in the Mediterranean also highlights the central role played by the Class40 in offshore racing, with 47 boats starting in the next Route du Rhum, representing 40% of the entries.
A special opportunity for meetings and exchanges
Beyond the sporting aspect, the CIC MED CHANNEL RACE is an opportunity for many in Marseille to meet and share their passion for offshore racing and its values. Nearly 300 children were welcomed to the race to meet the skippers: it's always a very special moment. Lively, refreshing, and appealing to both children and skippers, the discovery of the sea and offshore racing remains a field of development and awakening, even for a coastal region where the sea can still be an unknown world. This approach can be further developed in schools of all neighborhoods and backgrounds in Marseille.
The general public also comes together at this iconic location, with easy and free access for competitors. While the southern coast boasts many excellent day regatta events, the CIC MED CHANNEL RACE is currently the only race to offer a course of 1,000 miles or more, thus introducing the Mediterranean public to the "big" offshore race, the kind that inspires dreams every winter in transatlantic crossings or long round-the-world voyages.
Finally, the event is a valuable tool for its founding partners, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis and CIC, both through its ability to bring together their internal and external audiences and Thanks to the increased visibility and image generated by a top-tier media plan, achieved through partnerships with FRANCE 3 MEDITERRANÉE (a daily segment broadcast across the three stations in the Alps/Provence-Corsica-Languedoc Roussillon region - 15,000 people also followed the Facebook Live stream before the start on Sunday, May 3rd) and LA PROVENCE (an official 8-page program inserted in the newspaper and editorial coverage).
There is a great deal of enthusiasm among all those involved in the project to continue and develop this wonderful adventure!
To access the crew presentations: www.med-race.com/les-equipages
To follow the race on the map (a position update every 15 minutes): www.med-race.com/suivre-la-course
Website: www.med-race.com